Some time was spent a Lah’s Retreat waiting for Jerker and Elaria to join them. This allowed for ample debate about next steps. There was a distinct feeling of unease amongst them. Despite Lah’s previous encouragement, several of them shared fears for going into the mists, seriously considering turning aside from the call of adventure once again. Presently, Nate, who had been silent for several days, called their attention to deliver a rousing speech. “I came here to save St. Orlan,” he announced, adding a few other words of duty, of loyalty to one’s home and of faith in the Anointed One.
Without delay, Aderian tossed aside his hesitation and agreed to follow Nate into the mists. Ghevont then joined them. Jerker remained conflicted, for he considered that his parents were safe and so was his wife, Elaria. But in spite of his desire to protect her, she insisted that they all go into the mists. It was then decided that the five of them would go together. Ollie remained behind as a precaution with the thought that he might work some sort of rescue from the outside if needed.
Before long, they had reached the edge of the mists and stepped within those swirling vapors. Nate went in first, and seeing that he was not immediately harmed, the others followed. It was clear to the paladin that the fog itself pulsed with evil, and surely that evil was penetrating their bodies with each breath, but it was not deadly, perhaps only corrupting.
They marched down the road, coming very close to the palisade surrounding the town before seeing two guards at the north gate. The top of the guard tower where once an arrow flew down to kill Azrak’s captured goblin was completely lost in the mist. The fog that hung low over the town imposed a perpetual twilight, yet they were close enough to note unusual features of the two guards. They were nearly eight feet tall with thick limbs covered in loose armor. Across bare flesh were winding scars, as if their bodies had been assembled from various parts. These were golems, and best avoided.
They circled around the walls and into the offal district. Winding through the narrow streets, they saw a few humans darting about like rats, barely given a second glance to the interlopers. They soon found themselves at the temple of St. Orlan, that edifice where years before they had driven out a demon the priests had brought back from Tosasth. The doors were locked. Profane words and symbols covered the building.
From the shadows, the voice of ragged woman called to them. She described the plight of the humans left in St. Orlan and how she was aligned with a group of awakened golems. These constructs were created by chance in the wake of a magical surge, gaining consciousness, and having gained such, they rebelled against Ithusar, the vampire lord of St. Orlan. They asked for an introduction, and she obliged.
The might Amalgus dwelled in an ironworks, well fortified and steaming with ongoing work. Inside were many golems in a brotherhood of those who’d somehow gained waking minds and free wills. He was the first, and from the lair of the vampire, the ebon spire, the stole the arcane stone being used to construct those of his kind, the flesh golems. He was leader amongst them, plotting to someday overthrow the undead. Meanwhile, they faced trouble from the werewolves who dwelled in the nearby woods. Between the undead and the werewolves, the people in St. Orlan were merely prey. Amalgus did what he could to protect some of them, but significant groups went over to serve the three other factions, the fourth being undead that kept to a elven tomb beneath the town.
An uneasy truce was made between the Raiders and the golems. Jerker equivocated on giving his full support, stating outright that he considered the golems monsters. For this he was given some grief, for surely these golems were as living and of the same minds as any humans. In the end, Jerker gave this oath to assist the golems, perhaps helping them find a home away from any who would attack them for being monsters.
The alliance made, they returned to the temple. The chains on the doors were snapped, and they moved inside. While the inner sanctum was dirty, they statue of Saint Orlan still stood, offering a sign of defiance. A search of the upper level found little left of value, and in the lower level, they found all the wine gone. In the octagon chamber, they found the body of a priest crumpled at the altar. They took his body to the crypt and placed it in an empty nook.
The four coffins held in the crypt were opened. One of them held a skeleton in robes, wearing a crown and holding a rusted mace. Ghevont prayed over the body and felt inspired to take the mace. Its soft glow revealed it to be magical. This was taken as a sign that the Anointed One was providing support by guiding them to the Mace of Father Miah.
Nate noted that within the temple, the air did not radiate evil. It seemed to be a sanctuary from mists, and likely the undead could not tolerate entering.
Next, they were curious about the homestead and made their way out of town, over the fields. They were met at the fence line by one of the remaining would-be adventurers. Many had escaped but a dozen of them remained faithful to Tienarth’s Raiders, still camping in the fields. All the of the sheep were long gone, and many of adventurers had fallen to the werewolves as well.
Inside the small house, the two magical mirrors were gone, as expected. Fortunately, a secret cache kept by Ferris under a floorboard was untouched. Inside was Tienarth’s second crystal ball. Elaria took this and put it to use in searching for the mirrors. After some time, she saw a mirror in an underground tunnel. A shape walked past it, and it was soon recognized as a werewolf. It climbed up a ladder to join several other lycanthropes, then making an exit from a farmhouse in a wood. This didn’t provide a precise location, but it was a start.
A plan was made to bring the twelve young followers into the temple, since it was considered safe from the various predators. The party did its best to avoid attention, and they made the temple doors to appear still to be locked.
After some time making the temple tidy, a knock was heard. Ghevont answered the call to find a hunched figure who greeting him with a squeaking voice that reminded them of a weasel. “I come from his majesty Ithusar, lord of this town, bringing with me an invitation to dinner. You are to come at midnight.”
They wondered how they might know the time, and the messengers told them to listen for the toll of the bell. They were expected six hours hence.
End Notes
- Days
- 8/27 – 9/4 Relaxing at Lah’s
- 9/5 Entering the mists surrounding St. Orlan
- Treasure: none
- Combat: none
- Characters
- Aderian
- Elaria
- Ghevont
- Jerker
- Nate